When to Transition to Toddler Bed?

Keep her in the crib! Once she transitions into a big girl bed, her sleeping habits will change. My 3-year old switched to a big girl bed a few months before her baby sister arrived and she did very well but she quickly realized the freedom the big girl bed provided. Enjoy what the crib has to offer. :)

hi J.,if i was you i would leave her until she starts climbing out,my daughter was around 2.5 when we put her in the toddler bed only because she was climbing out.believe me enjoy her being in the crib for as long as you can!

Hi J.,
There is no rush. She's still so young. Once she asks for one or continuously climbs out, then I would. My son will be 3 in May and is still in his crib. There's no rush at all. I plan on transitiioning him after his 3rd bday.

my daughter was fine in her crib so we waited..and then for her third birthday we got her a "big girl bed", which is a twin. we just pushed it against the wall and didn't bother with siderails. it worked great.

if she's happy i'd just leave her. my daughter does climb in and out of her crib. but miraculouly she doesn't crawl out in the the middle of the night or naptime etc.... she won't crawl out in the morning until i open the door (she's fully awake and just playing in her crib, talking to her animals etc - until i open the door).

we plan on getting rid of the binks first, then move to a bed for her 3rd birthday. (she's 30 mos now).

and we plan to go right to a twin mattress on the floor... do that for a few months, then add the box spring for a few months and then put it on a frame.... work our way up.

Dont rush it..both my children were in beds just after 2 because they started to climb out and for my second I would have waited well after 2 if I had the choice to switch him. If she is happy in the crib and not climbing out I would say leave her in there for now. You will know when she is ready to come out! Good Luck!

Sounds fine to me. She's happy, why change it for no reason? She fits in the bed, she likes it, she sleeps well. When the time comes that she starts to climb out, you can just put the rail down so that she doesn't have so far to fall. The rail is still up enough to keep her from rolling off the bed in her sleep, but it won't impede her getting out.

My grandchildren skipped the toddler bed stage entirely - the crib was in the room along with a twin bed (great for night time nursing) and sometimes they would lie in the twin to read or snuggle with a parent. As long as it didn't make them think the parent was going to sleep there, it was fine. You can put a twin in there at some point, if it will fit, and use it for dolls or as a reading area. You can set it up as a day bed - like a couch - if you want. You could consider putting it in a corner and putting the crib next to it, so there will be barriers on 3 sides (2 walls and a crib). When she starts sleeping there, her comforting crib will be right next to her and also serve as a safety rail.

I am always 'shocked' at people who are 'shocked' at harmless things other parents do! We took a lot of heat, for example, when we didn't have huge expensive birthday parties for our kids. We played old-fashioned games (which were "new" to the kids!) and kept it small. We took a lot of criticism for not have a pony, a carnival, and 35 friends! Well, our kids grew up fine. They don't need 35 gifts and so much excitement they can't speak to or play with their friends! We never bought them Play Stations either, and people had a fit. So just do what's right for you and raise a happy kid - you're already doing it!

You are absolutely right, do not rush her. She won't go to a college dorm in a crib! hahaha, if she's content let it be. She'll grow up fast enough might as well keep her in her crib if she's not complaining or in danger of hurting herself by climbing out. Good luck!

I made the switch when my daughter was 3 months shy of her 3rd birthday. She had never climbed out but she was getting REALLY heavy and I had already pulled my back out once putting her in her crib, so I thought it was time. I went straight to a twin though. I thought it was foolish to try and get her used to a toddler bed and then a few years later a twin...so I just went for it. She helped pick out the one she wanted. I talked it up big that was getting a big girl bed to sleep in and then we just switched....took the crib out, new bed in. First night was flawless. She had laid down and went to sleep and she has done so every night after. The mornings were a bit funny. SHe would lay in her bed even though she could get out on her own, and yell for me. She did that for over a month. Finally I told her that she could get up and play with her toys. I had kept a safety knob on the inside of her room and shut the door so she couldn't get out. Now she is 4 and I leave her door open so that she can go to the bathroom and get up on her own. I think the older they are when you transition them, the smoother it is.

Hi J.!

It's like the saying "if it aint broke, don't fix it!" LOL Seriously though, she's 2 1/2 still takes a nap (woohoo) and sleeps 11-12 hrs a nght! Let her stay in the crib! Things will change once she's in a toddler bed, ie like getting out of bed to see what you're doing etc.

You'll know when it's time to switch over.

S., mom to a 6 year boy and a 4 year old boy

J. -

My daughter slept in her crib until she was 3 1/2! It was large enough for her and she was comfortable in it. She did start climbing out, but I had a hope chest nearby she could step on to and I kept the rail down so she could climb in and out easily.

If she is sleeping well and comfortable I wouldn't worry. She will transition in time.

B.

when she starts to climb out of her crib then it's time. i have been doing the debate myself with my daughter. she will be 2 in may and had been thinking of getting her a toddler bed but all my friends tell me there is no need until she is trying to climb out. just think, if she can't get out of her bed she can't climb into yours! good luck!

I agree with the others, don't rush it! In fact, savor it. A whole new set of issues arise once in a big girl bed! When she starts getting up to pee in the night, no diaper, it may be helpful for all if she has the freedom to go and get back in bed on her own, but I don't see that happening yet! We never had a toddler bed (four children), they went from crib to twin bed, and we never used side rails either! They learn their boundaries in the bed very quickly, even in sleep! I think each child fell out of bed once, on sofa cushions (or crib matress) on the floor! Best of luck to you!

I wish my toddler was still in a crib. If she would not have climbed out she would still be in it. She is 30 months. I would keep her in it if she is ok with it. our daughter changed her sleeping habit after she was in a big bed (we did not do a toddler bed). She would wake up 1 or 2 times a night and climb in our bed. So good luck with it all. oh my daughter is 30 months old.

J.--

I just transitioned my 2 year old to a toddler bed because we are expecting our second baby in April and didn't want to buy another crib. Otherwise, we would have kept him in the crib until further notice as he didn't attempt to climb out and was very content sleeping and napping in it. We did buy a toddler bed because we felt for him, it would be an easier transition, and it has proven to be. We did it cold turkey--put the toddler bed together, complete with new character sheets, and took the crib out and he's been sleeping in the toddler bed beautifully for the last week without any issues.

I wouldn't force your little one to transition if she's not trying to escape. And I agree with many of the other posters, just get a twin or double when she's three and be done with it. Cold turkey was the way to go for our son to prevent any confusion with "where's my bed??" Big Boy/Girl bed in, crib out, end of story. I think that your little one will amaze you with her flexibility. I was ready for a serious bedtime showdown, but there was none!

Best--R.

Don't rush her out of her crib. If it's working, don't change it. She's only a baby once. I moved my daughter out of her crib around 2 1/2 yrs and I wish I didn't because she gets out of bed at least twice a night. She would sleep through the night no problem when she was in her crib.

My little boy started climbing out of his crib at 18 months. I would have kept him in a crib forever! haha. I don' see any reason to move your little one unless she is unhappy or climbing out. Keep her in there until she does one of those. I would anyways

you transition when she climbs out or attempts to climb out. We just switched our youngest to a toddler bed because he was caught trying to climb out of the crib and he actually sleeps better in his bed. After she's 3 get her a bed but at this point I would skip the toddler bed and just get a twin or full it would be a waste to purchase a toddler bed and have her sleep in it a year or less.

Hi- I would not take her out until she wants to go the the bathroom herself at night time. Until then, make your life easier and KEEP HER IN!

Hi J., I chuckled when I read your issue. My daughter at the time was 34 months old and happily sleeping in her crib every night (I am certain she would have stayed right there until she went to middleschool!) when her 17 month old little brother decided he was OUT of his!! That very night was my first time posting on this very website!! It was titled "Crib-jumping" -- I was in a panic what to do with my baby (and he will always be that) who I could not keep in the crib??? Should I use the crib tent? should I put him on a mattress on the floor?? these were my questions and believe it or not, the answer was to put his crib mattress on the floor until I got him a toddler bed. that weekend my husband and I went and bought 2 toddler beds and just popped in the crib mattresses. I figured I had to put my daughter in one at that same time otherwise her little brother would have never let her live it down!! She transitioned beautifully!! I left her crib up in her room (just in case) but she never once asked to go back in.. she loves her big bed! Brother on the other hand does well in his bed, but I had to start using night lights because he would still wake in the night and get out of his bed and be litterally "lost" in his room -- very scary for him. We now have very peaceful nights and everyone sleeps comfortably in their own room, with their own nightlights in their big beds.. AHHHHH!! It's such a good thing. good luck!! L. C. p.s. placing a gate on your little ones doorway will prevent middle of the night romps around the house and possibly down a flight of stairs, my daughter never needed one, but the baby definatly did and I still have it up in his doorway just in case (he's now almost 2 1/2) If I had it MY way... I would have kept them both in their cribs till they went off to college!! enjoy these days...

I say keep her in it as long as she is comfortable...you'll know when the time is right.

Don't listen to anyone else! You know what is best for you and your child. I kept my oldest daughter in a crib until she was three years old...maybe a little longer. She also naps well and I didn't want to risk it. So you are correct, no rush at all, she will be in a bed for the rest of her life so take your time.

If she's happy in her crib and not climbing out of it, then let her sleep in her crib. Our son, also very active and energitic, went from crib to big boy (full size) bed, by-passing the toddler bed, at almost three and a half, at which point he was getting too heavy/too tall to lift to the crib level. And he was fine with it. BTW: he's now 7 and 1/2. Good luck
M.